Travel home with car-top hitch

ABSTRACT

A car-towed trailer has its foreportion segmented in three horizontally extending sections, the two lower sections being telescopically slideable up into the top section by hydraulic means so as to overlie the tow-car which has an ear at each side projecting up through the roof at the back of the driver&#39;&#39;s seat. The bottom telescoping section has a pendant hitch tube oscillatably secured thereto and rotatably secured to an underlying crossbar having a pair of forwardly projecting ears at each side adapted to extend along each side of a car-roof ear and be secured thereto by a clevis pin through the ears. The rear portion does not telescope and has wheels rearward of the foreportion spaced from the connected tow-car so that the tow-car can be driven forward or backed under the overlying foreportion. Support legs attached to the upper foreportion section may be folded up into hidden position at each side while traveling or folded down and hydraulically extended to support the foreportion when the tow-car is unhitched. The trailer-supported hitch crossbar has a pendant headed stud extending down through slots in one end of each of two forwardly extendable alignment arms whose forward ends carry pendant pins insertable in holes in a cross plate between the car-roof ears, the arm slots being of such length as to move the trailer foreportion transversely for guiding the ears into position when the car is moved toward the trailer.

United States Patent 1 Quick TRAVEL HOME WITH CAR-TOP HITCH [75]Inventor: Robert G. Quick, Manlius, N.Y.

[73] Assignee: Hy-Rider Inc., Trout Creek, N.Y.

-[22] Filed: Nov. 18, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 199,920

[52] US. Cl. 280/423 R, 280/422, 280/433, 280/478 R, 296/23 C, 280/475,280/491 D [51] Int. Cl 362d 53/06 [58] Field of Search 280/423'R, 426,421,

280/150 C; 296/23 B, 23 C, 23 MC, 23 R, 23v

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,457,478 12/1948 Letvin280/421 2,855,240 10/1958 Toland 296/23 D 3,383,119 5/1968 Carroll280/426 3,390,896 7/1968 Philapy 280/423 R 3,476,437 11/1969 Schroederet al 1 296/137 3,494,655 2/1970 Linton 296/23 C 3,556,582 1/1971Bledsoe.... 296/23 B 3,649,064 3/1972 Bledsoe. 296/23 B FOREIGN PATENTSOR APPLICATIONS 630,243 7/1963 Belgium 280/423 R 811,601 4/1959 GreatBritain 280/423 R 1,250,559 12/1960 France 296/23 MC 1,357,323 2/1964France 280/150.C

3,770,297 Nov. 6, 1973 Primary ExaminerLeo Friaglia Attorney-Bruns &Jenney 57 ABSTRACT which has an ear at each side projecting up throughthe roof at the back of the drivers seat. The bottom telescoping sectionhas a pendant hitch tube oscillatably secured thereto and rotatablysecured to an underlying crossbar having a pair of forwardly projectingears at each side adapted to extend along each side of a carroof ear andbe secured thereto by a clevis pin through the ears. The rear portiondoes not telescope and has wheels rearward of the foreportion spacedfrom the connected tow-car so that the tow-carcan be driven forward orbacked under the overlying foreportion. Support legs attached to theupper foreportion section may be folded up into hidden position at eachside while traveling or folded down and hydraulically extended tosupport the foreportion when the tow-car is unhitched. Thetrailer-supported hitch crossbar has a pendant headed stud extendingdown through slots in one end of each of two forwardly extendablealignment arms whose 'forward ends carry pendant pins insertable inholes in across plate between the car-roof ears, the arm slots being ofsuch length as to move the trailer foreportion transversely for guidingthe ears into position whenthe car is moved toward the trailer.

3 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures 1 PATENTEDNBV man I 3.770.291

SHEET 1 BF 4 I INVENTOR. ROBERT G.QUICK BY BIN/W! ATTORNEYS PATENTEUNUYs 1913 3.770.297

' SHEET EUF a INVENTOR. ROBERT C QUICK ATTORNEYS PATENTED 5 I975 SHEET&0? 4

INVENTOR.

ROBERT C. QUICK BY BJPU VMD & M I

ATTORNEYS I l a I I TRAVEL HOME WITH CAR-TOP HITCH BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION This invention relates to trailer houseshaving a set of wheelsunder their rear portions and having a foreportion overlying the towingvehicle. More particularly it relates to such a house adapted to betowed by a modified four-door sedan, has a novel selfcentering hitchconnecting the trailer foreportion to the roof of the sedan, and haspowered supporting means for the foreportion and telescoping sectionslowerable under the foreportion when the tow-car is unhitched.

Prior art trailer houses having overlying foreportions' have usually hada hitch connection adapted to be supported in the cargo space of a smalltruck or luggage space of an auto. Such hitches have usually beenstandard ball and socket hitches or, when a hitch having a pivot about asingle transverse axis is used, pivoted trailing wheels are required.

Prior art trailers having an overlying foreportion adapted to be securedto the roof of a car have employed a ball and socket hitch with itscar-attached portion removably secured to thecar like a luggage rack.Truck mounted camper bodies have had telescoping sides adapting the bodyto be raised above the truck bed when camping and to be lowered whiletraveling but no house trailers having atow-car overlying foreportionhave had telescoping sections lowerable from the foreportion forproviding living space under the- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention provides a travel home and tow-car of the order of 37 feet inoverall road length, about equal to that of a bus conversion motor homehaving comparable living space, but with separate travel car when thetow-car is unhitched. The occupied roadlength is about equal to that ofa tow car and conventional trailer 17 feet long with less than half theliving space.

The compactness is achieved by making the foreportion of the trailer inthree horizontal layers, the lower two being capable ofbeing telescopedupward into the upper or roof layer which is thus adapted to overlie thetow-car, One portion of the hitch is secured to the floor of the lowerlayer which, when raised, is locked in place and positionedabove theroof of the tow-car. The other portion of the hitch is secured to thetow-car and comprises, in addition to the usual spring-strengtheningmeans, interior reinforcing members added on each side of the car backof the drivers seat secured to the vertical member of the car betweenfront and rear doors. The lower ends of the reinforcing members areprovided with feet secured to the car frame under the floor of the carand each member terminates at its upper end in an ear projecting upthrough the car roof. A cross-brace secured to each ear extends betweenthe ears above the car roof and can also serve as a roll-bar or portionof a luggage rack.

- The upper portion of the hitch secured to the bottom of the overlyingforeportion of the trailer comprises a vertically disposed hitch tubehaving its upper end oscillatably-secured to-the overlying foreportionby a longitudinally extending pin to provide for transverse rockingmotion of the trailer with respect to the tow car. The lower end of thehitch tube is rotatably received and secured in a suitable bearing atthe center of a hitch crossmember to provide for lateral turning of thetow car with respect to the trailer. The hitch crossmember is providedat each end with a pairof spaced forwardly extending ears for receivingtherebetween an upwardly projecting ear from the car top, the ears beingsecured together by a clevis pin, providing a pivotal connectionallowing front to rear rocking of the tow car with respect to thetrailer'and distributing the weight of the forward end of the trailer toall four wheels of the .tow car.

The rear portion of the trailer, integral with the roof portion of theforeportion is of standard height and has trailer wheels, preferably inthe form of a 4-wheel carriage, at its forward end. A closure member forthis forward end can be swung down out of the way when the telescopingsections of the foreportion are lowered.

This arrangement provides room in the rear portion for kitchen includingstove, refrigerator, freezer and dishwasher, closet space, dining areaand bathroom facilities, all the facilities ordinarily used duringdriving hours. The telescoping foreportion provides room for living areafurniture, such as beds, couches, dressers, chairs, desks and otheritems ordinarily used when parked, All the furniture in the living areacan be 30 inches in height or less so that when the floor section israised there is room under the roof of the upper section for all thefurniture. The middle section is provided with windows for the livingarea.

Although intended for travel home use, it will be understood that therear portion may be used for animal or other large object transportationor mercantile displays while the foreportion may provide storage roomfor small articles or space for a bales room.

The foreportion of the trailer comprises more than half the total lengthof thetrailer and projects overhead in front of the driver but not sofaras to block his view. The hitch is at the approximate center of thetow-car eliminating the primary cause of side sway, and the hitch tubeprovides 360? range of movement around a vertical axis so that the carmay be turned completely around when hitched without interference by thetrailer and the tow-car may be driven ahead toward the trailer whenparking or preparatory to hitching the trailer.

The lower two sections of the foreportion are telescoped up within thetop section while traveling so that the portion of the trailer forwardof the wheels presents only one third of the side expanse of aconventional trailer exposed to buffeting by wind or air disturbance byapassing vehicle. The portion to the rear of the trailer wheels has aside area larger than that of the raised foreportion so that tooprovides a counterbalance against side sway caused by wind buffetingbeing transmittedto the tow-car.

The longitudinal axis provided by the tube and pin connection betweenthe trailer and its hitch provides a sufficient range of swayindependent of the car but'a sleeve aroundthe hitch pin may carrytransverse arms connected by shock absorbers to the sides of the trailerto dampen this movement.

The transverse axis provided by the clevis pins through the mating earscarried by the trailer-born portion of the hitch and the car-born hitchportions gives an ample range of up and down movement between car andtrailer caused by any conceivable road irregularity to be met by reasonof of space between the trailer foreportion and the car top occupied bythe hitch. It will be noted also that the combination of thelongitudinal and transverse axes connection between car and trailer willresist any tendency for the trailer to overturn the car if the traileris swung with its longitudinal axis normal to that of the car.

The hitch is also provided with novel means for aligning thetrailer-born portion of the hitch with the carbom portion prior to theclevis pins being inserted through the hitch ears.

The pendant crossmember of the trailer-born portion of the hitch isprovided at its bottom with a horizontally disposed car-saver platehaving a pendant headed stud or bolt which passes through slots at oneend of each of two forwardly extendable aligning arms which are therebysupported extending horizontally under the plate. The other end of eachaligning arm carries a pendant pin or stud which may be dropped throughholes equidistant from the center of thecross brace between the car-bornears. As the tow-car approaches the trailer, the pendant stud slides inthe slots of the arms, the slots being of such length that the traileris moved sideways when the stud reaches the end of a slot to align thetwo portions of the hitch so that the clevis pins can be engaged in thesets of ears at each side of the hitch.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of atrailer of the invention hitched to its tow-car for traveling;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the trailer unhitched and supportedat its foreportion for lowering the telescoped sections of theforeportion;

FIG. 3 is a side'elevational view of the trailer in residence positionwith its telescoped sections lowered;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, diagrammatical, exploded view of thetelescoping sections of the foreportion;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the trailer and hitched tow-car ofFIG. I, the tow-car reinforcement being shown diagrammatically;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary front elevational view of the hitchand tow-car reinforcing members, the

interior outline of the car being indicated in broken lines;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged exploded view of a clevis pin used in the hitch;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the hitch showing the aligning arms prior toengagement of the two portions of the hitch;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the hitch withthe two portions engaged andlocked;

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view thereof; FIG. 11 is a sectional viewon the line 11-11 of FIG.

FIG. 12, on sheet 1 of the drawings, is a diagrammatical plan view ofcar and trailer making a K-turn;

FIGS. 13 and 14, on sheet 2 of the drawings, are plan views of a balland socket hitch employing the novel aligning arms of the invention, inhitched position and prior to hitching, respectively;

FIG. 15, on sheet 3 of the drawings, is a front elevational view of thehitch shown in FIG. 13; and

FIG. 16 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the hitch shown inFIG. 15.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the FIGS. 1-3, thetrailer 20, shown hitched to a tow-car 21 in FIG. 1 and in residencecondition in FIG. 3, has a rear portion 22 of conventional heightprovided with a set of trailer wheels 23, preferably four mounted on aconventional four wheel undercarriage at the forward end of portion 22.The trailer foreportion has an upper or roof section 25 integral withthe rear portion 22, a middle section 26 and a lower portion 27 having afloor 28. Sections 26 and 27 are arranged to telescope up into section25 while traveling, as shown in FIG. 1, and can be lowered, as shown inFIG. 2, to the residence position shown in FIG. 3.

The rear portion 22 has a front closure 29, preferably convexly curvedfrom side to side, which may be lowered to the position shown in FIGS. 2and 3. The foreportion upper section 25 is provided with a leg 30 ateither side which can be folded up in a concealed position whiletraveling and folded down to support section 25 in residence condition.The lower portion of leg 30 telescopes within the upper cylinder portionand has a piston which can be hydraulically powered to extend the lowerportion which terminates in a caster or wheel 31 usually resting on ametal plate or pad 32.

Referring to FIG. 4, upper section 25 is provided with a plurality ofvertically extending, inwardly projecting dovetail members 33 which areengaged by pairs of outwardly projecting wheels 34 of the exterior ofsection 26 providing wheel and rail connections for the telescopingsection 26. Similarly, the lower floor section 27 has a plurality ofvertically extending, outwardly projecting dovetail members 35, andsection 26 has cooperating pairs of inwardly projecting wheels 36 fortelescopically securing together sections 26 and 27.

Sections 26 and 27 each have rearwardly projecting tongues 37 at eachside provided with transversely projecting wheels 38 engaged invertically extending tracks in the rear portion 22. It will beunderstood that means, not shown, are provided for raising sections 26and 27 into telescoped position powered by a winch or, preferably,hydraulically powered. Means, not shown, for locking sections 26 and 27into raised position are also provided.

The rear section 22 is also provided with conventional hinged supportlegs 40 at the rear which may be swung down to support the rear sectionindependent of the springs for the wheels 23 as shown in FIG. 3. Section22 is also provided with the usual door 41 and windows 42.

Interiorly, rear portion 22 contains all the facilities which might beused while traveling, including kitchen appliances, dining area, closetand bathroom facilities.

Section 26 contains window openings 43, section 25 has a rounded frontend and section 27 has living space facilities, such as bed, or beds andcouches, chairs and dressers, all supported on floor 28 and less than 30inches in height so that all may be telescoped up into section 25.

Best seen in FIG. 5, a hitch tube 45 depends from floor 28, the tubebeing secured between two transversely extending channels 46 by a pin47, as shown in FIG. 11, so as to be oscillatable from side to side.Supported on a sleeve 48 around tube 45, arms 49 extend to either sideand terminate in shock absorbers 50 connected to the sides of floor 28to dampen side sway of the trailer 20.

The lower end of the hitch tube 45 is rotatably secured in a bearing 51at the center of a cross member 52 of the trailer connected portion ofthe hitch as best seen in FIG. 6. I

A wire cable 53, providing connections to the trail- 'ers runninglights, battery and brakes may pass through the hitch tube 40, the cablepreferably being provided with slip-ring connections within the tube.

The tow-car connected portion of the hitch comprises tow-car bodyreinforcing members 55 secured to each side of a car interior just backof the drivers seat along the post separating front and back windows ina four door sedan, the usual type of heavier car needed to tow a largetrailer. Each reinforcing member 55 terminates at its lower end in afoot 56 secured to the frame of the car and at its upper end in an ear57 projecting upward through the car roof as best seen in FIG. 6. Ears57 secured together by a cross-brace 58 which acts as a roll-over bar aswell as strengthening the hitch.

The cross member 52 of the trailer-borne portion of the hitch has a pairof forwardly projecting ears 59 at either end, each pair being spacedapart for extending on either side of a car roof car 57. The trailerportion of the hitch and the tow-car portion of the hitch are securedtogether with clevis pins 60, best seen in FIG. 7, at either sideinserted through appropriate holes in the ears 57-59. Clevis pins 60 arelocked in place by cotter pins 60a.

Referring now to FIGS. 8, 9 and 10, a novel aligning structure is shownfor aligning the two portions of the hitch prior to the insertion of theclevis pins 60. The cross member 52 has at its center a forwardlyprojecting reinforced plate portion 63 designed to protect the roof ofthe tow-car during hitching and unhitching. Through this plate forwardof the tube 40 a downwardly projecting headed stud or bolt 64 passesthrough an elongated slot 65 along one end of each of two aligning arms66 and 67 and supports the arms 66 and 67 loosely below the plate 63 asshown.

As shown in FIG. 8, as the car-borne ears 57 and cross brace 58 approachthe trailer portion of the hitch, it will be understood the arms 66 and67 may be manually drawn forward, the bolt 64 sliding in the slots 65 inthe arms and pendant pins 68 at the unslotted end of the arms can beinserted into appropriate holes in the cross brace 58 adjacent each car57, as shown. Then, when the tow-car is again moved toward the trailer,the bolt 64 will then reach the end of one slot 65 causing that aligningarm to move the trailer on its wheeled legs 30 transversely to align thetwo portions of the hitch, the slots 65 being of such length that thearms 66 and 67 align each car 57 between its pair of cars 59 as the earsapproach one another.

As hereinbefore noted, the spacing of the rearward portion 22 of thetrailer from the tow-car 21 permits the car to be driven forward towardthe trailer during the hitching operation giving the driver a good viewof the trailer-born portion of the hitch. The car-saver plate 63 of thehitch cross member 52 can thus be located and the driver can advance thecar so that the car-born cross brace 58 is under the plate 63. Thearms66 and 67 are then positioned with their pins 68 in the holes in crossmember 58 and'the car is then moved forward to automatically positioncars 57 between the pairs of cars 59. Legs 30, which are hydraulicallyor mechanically extendable, can be shortened or lengthened if necessaryto align the holes through the ears so that clevis pins 60 can beinserted through the ears and locked with pins 60a.

The lower portions of legs 30 are then telescoped up into the upperportions and the legs then swung up and locked out of sight. Rearsupports 40 are swung up and the trailer-car combination is ready tomove to another site.

In addition to the elimination of road sway and resistance to windbuffeting hereinbefore noted the trailercar combination possesses othermaneuverability characteristics. The hitch being at the center of thecar, there is no initial turning of the trailer the wrong way on turnscaused by a hitch secured to the overhang of the car rearward of itsrear wheels. A K-turn may be executed in a transverse space littlebigger than the trailer length, as shown in FIG. 12.

A car and trailer proceeding from top to bottom of the page as shown infull lines at a in FIG. 12 first turns in one direction while movingdown the road. As

the tow-car continues its turn beyond the perpendicular to the trailer,as shown at b, the trailers direction is reversed until the tow-carstraightens out so as to be perpendicular to the trailer, as shown at c,so that the car can continue ahead in the reverse direction from whichit started.

When the car and trailer arrive at a spot for parking, the car need notback the trailer into position but may be maneuvered as in positions aand b of FIG. 12 so that the car is headed toward the trailer and thetrailer is backed into position while the car moves forward.

When the trailer is in parked position, legs 30 are swung down andextended until the weight of the foreportion of the trailer is takenfrom the springs of the tow-car and clevis pins 60 are removed. Afterthe towcar is driven away, closure 29 is swung down and sections 26 and27 are unlocked from their elevated positions and allowed to descend bygravity to their lowered position. The rear legs 40 are then lowered andextended and trailer 20 is in residence condition and ready for use. p

When ready for the road again the sections 26 and 27 are again raisedand locked, rear legs 40 are raised and closure 29 swung up and lockedin place. The tow-car 21 is then driven under portion 25 and hitched asdescribed above. r A modified form of aligning arrangement adapted foruse with a conventional ball and socket hitch is shown in FIGS-13, l4and 15. Referring to FIG. 14, the hitch ball 70 will be understood to betrailer-supported as by being still connected to its socket secured tothe trailer at the end of its tow tongue, for instance. Aligning arms 71and 72 are supported from the ball 70 by an arrangement shown in FIG.16. j

The ball 70 is integral with a depending threaded stud 73 and passesdown through an annular member 74 having reduced ends 75 and 76, thestud 73 being secured to the member 74 by an appropriate washer 77 andnut 78. Aligning arms 71 and 72 are each slotted at 79 at one end andthe reduced ends 75 and 76 are inserted in the slots 79 on assembly asshown in FIG. 16. The other unslotted ends of arms 71 and 72 are provided with holes 80.

The tow-car portion of the hitch comprises an angle iron 81 secured tothe car rear bumper 82, for example, the horizontally extending flangeof the angle 81 being cut away at 83 and provided with holes 84 ateither end. When the tow-car approaches the trailer, arms 71 and 72 areextended forward and holes 80 in the arms aligned with holes 84in theangle 81. Clevis pins 60, such as shown in FIG. 7, are then inserted inthe aligned holes 80 and 84 and the car is backed toward the traileruntil the annular member 74 enters space 83. The slots 79 are of suchlength that when the member 74 reaches the end of one or the other ofthe slots the trailer tongue is moved to one side or the other and thehitch assumes the position shown in FIG. 13 with the ball centeredagainst the angle 81.

Arms 71 and 72 are provided with clevis pin holes 85 at their unslottedends and the angle is provided with similar holes 86 now alignedtherewith and clevis pins 60 are inserted in the aligned holes, theclevis pins also passing through the slots 79 of the arms to lock ball70 in place in relation to the angle 81.

In both the aligning arrangement shown in FIGS. 8-10, and thearrangement shown in FIGS. 13-16, a pair of slotted alignment arms aresupported from the trailer portion of the hitch (although they could besupported from the car portion) by a vertically extending pivot memberextending through the slots of both arms. Means are provided attransversely spaced points in the tow-car portion of thehitch forpivotally securing a respective end of each alignment arm thereto andthe slots are equally spaced from the point at the end of each arm atwhich it is pivotally secured to one of the transversely spaced means onthe car portion of the hitch a distance adapted to center the trailerwith respect to the tow-car portion of the hitch when the car is movedtoward the trailer.

The National Highway Safety Bureau estimates that a car pulling atrailer is four times more likely to be involved in an accident than onethat is not and also estimates that, in the case of trailers, in 20percent of accident cases the trailer hitch was a factor thatcontributed to the accident.

Most trailer hitches are of the ball and socket type and it will benoted that the hitch shown in FIGS. 13-16, the ball portion 70 isdesigned to be permanently secured to the socket portion which remainssecured to the trailer. This allows the ball and socket combination tobe kept properly lubricated and prevents the most frequent cause'of wearin this joint which is the ball accidentally becoming covered with dirtwhen the trailer is uncoupled. I

In the case of the hitch shown in FIGS. 8-10, the ball and socket iseliminated and the hitch has three pivot axes, one about the verticalaxis of tube 45 with a 360? range of turning, a second alignedtransverse horizontal axis of the coaxially disposed clevis pins 60securing the ears 57 and 59 together, and the third about thelongitudinally and horizontally disposed pin 47. The range of movementabout the second axis is limited but sufficient because of the spacebetween foreportion 25 and the car 21. Motion about the third axis islimited to slightly less than 180, which is more than sufficient,

8 and limiting or dampening means may be provided by the shock absorbers50.

In the trailer-car'combination 20-21 a hitch tube of any desireddiameter may be provided for strength and of any desired length may beprovided to compensate between tow-carheights. The heavy standard sedansof all makes are within one to two inches of a standard height.

As hereinabove noted the combination of the three axes of pivotcounteracts any tendency of the trailer to overturn the tow-car when theone is at right angles to the other and the full 360 range around thefirst axis allows connecting the hitch or parking the trailer 20 withthe tow-car headed toward the trailer so that the driver can see withoutlooking behind.

I claim:

1. In combination, a tow-car having its sides reinforced for supportinga portion of a hitch substantially midway between front and rear wheels,the carsupported hitch portion having a transversely extendingreinforcement member above the car roof and aligned ear portionsprojecting upward from the side reinforcements, the ear portions beingsecured to the member ends and projecting thereabove, and a trailerhaving a foreportion and a rear portion; the foreportion of the trailerhaving upper, middle and lower horizontally extending sections, themiddle and lower sections being adapted to telescope up and lock withinthe upper section; the rear portion of the trailer having a set oftrailer wheels rotatably secured thereto at its forward end, the rearportion being coextensive in height with the foreportion the uppersection being integral with the rear portion; a hitch portion securedpendant from the botton of the foreportion when the sections aretelescoped and locked together; the trailer hitch portion including anormally transversely extending cross member and a pendant tube, thetube being secured to the foreportion bottom and adapted to pivot fromside to side with respect to the bottom, the cross member beingrotatably secured to the tube and having a pair of spaced cars at eachend adapted to lie on either side of the aligned ears of the carsupported hitch portion, the aligned and spaced ears having registeringholes therethrough and pin means for pivotally securing the earstogether; the tow-car being spaced from the trailer hitch portion whenthe foreportion sections are telescoped together and the hitch portionsare engaged; whereby side sway and wind-buffeting are reduced and theweight of the foreportion is distributed to all four wheels of thetow-car when the trailer is towed, and whereby pivotal connectionsbetween car and trailer about three different mutually perpendicularaxes are provided while traveling and the car and trailer are mutuallysupporting when the car and trailer become jackknifed.

2. The combination of a tow-car having its sides reinforced forsupporting a portion of a hitch substantially midway between front andrear wheels over its roof, the car supported hitch portion having alongitudinally dis posed ear at each side of the car projecting from theside reinforcement through the roof, the ears being connected by atransversely extending reinforcement member; and a trailer having aforeportion and a rear portion, the foreportion of the trailer havingupper, middle and lower horizontally extending sections, the middle andlower sections being adapted to telescope up and be locked within theupper section, the rear portion of the trailer having a set of wheelsrotatably secured thereto at its forward end, the rear portion beingcoextensive in height with the foreportion and the upper section beingintegral therewith; the lower section having a floor reinforced by atleast two spaced transverse members adapted to overlie the car when thesections are telescoped, the floor pendently carrying a normallyvertically disposed tube, the upper end of the tube being securedbetween the two transversely extending spaced members by alongitudinally extending pin through the transverse members and thetube, a hitch cross member having a bearing at its center to which thetube lower end is rotatably secured, the hitch cross member having apair of forwardly projecting cars at either end adapted to receivetherebetween a respective one of the upwardly projecting ears of thetow-car, the ears being adapted to be oscillatably secured together by aclevis pin through each pair of cars and the ear therebetween; wherebythe hitch with clevis pins in position has a transverse horizontal axisof pivot at the connection between the ears, a fore and aft horizontalaxis of pivot at the tube to floor connection, and a verticallyextending pivot at the tube and hitch cross member connection aboutwhich the towcar has a-36OP range of possible angularity with respect tothe trailer for flexibility while traveling and for resistance tooverturning when car and trailer are turned perpendicular to oneanother.

3. The tow-car and trailer combination defined in claim 3 wherein thefloor-supported tube has a sleeve secured therearound, the sleeve havinga substantially rigid member extending transversely from either side,the outer end of each rigid member being connected to one end of a shockabsorber, the other end of each shock absorber being connected to arespective side of the overlying foreportion of the trailer for dampingthe side sway of the trailer about the longitudinally extending pinthrough the hitch tube.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI CE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 0, iI Dated N v m r ,197

Invent ROBERT G. QUICK It is certified that error appears in theabove-identified intent and that said Letters Patent are herebycorrected as shown below:

Col. 2, line 42, "bales" should read sales C01. 3', line 8, "of space?should read the space Col. 4', .line 37, "of the exterior" should read 7on the exterior v v e Claim 1, 1ine'32, after theword foregortionthereshould be a comma. I

Claim 3, line l0,J "claim-3" should read claim 2 Signed and sealed this9th day of July 1974 (SEAL) Attest: I

McCOY M. GIBSONQJR; I y C. MARSHALL'DA'NN Attesting OfficereCommissioner of Patents FORM PO-1050 I uscoMM-oc 60376-P69 I v I a ".5.GOVERNIIINT PRINTING OFFICE I'll ','$3"

1. In combination, a tow-car having its sides reinforced for supportinga portion of a hitch substantially midway between front and rear wheels,the car-supported hitch portion having a transversely extendingreinforcement member above the car roof and aligned ear portionsprojecting upward from the side reinforcements, the ear portions beingsecured to the member ends and projecting thereabove, and a trailerhaving a foreportion and a rear portion; the foreportion of the trailerhaving upper, middle and lower horizontally extending sections, themiddle and lower sections being adapted to telescope up and lock withinthe upper section; the rear portion of the trailer having a set oftrailer wheels rotatably secured thereto at its forward end, the rearportion being coextensive in height with the foreportion the uppersection being integral with the rear portion; a hitch portion securedpendant from the botton of the foreportion when the sections aretelescoped and locked together; the trailer hitch portion including anormally transversely extending cross member and a pendant tube, thetube being secured to the foreportion bottom and adapted to pivot fromside to side with respect to the bottom, the cross member beingrotatably secured to the tube And having a pair of spaced ears at eachend adapted to lie on either side of the aligned ears of the carsupported hitch portion, the aligned and spaced ears having registeringholes therethrough and pin means for pivotally securing the earstogether; the tow-car being spaced from the trailer hitch portion whenthe foreportion sections are telescoped together and the hitch portionsare engaged; whereby side sway and wind-buffeting are reduced and theweight of the foreportion is distributed to all four wheels of thetow-car when the trailer is towed, and whereby pivotal connectionsbetween car and trailer about three different mutually perpendicularaxes are provided while traveling and the car and trailer are mutuallysupporting when the car and trailer become jackknifed.
 2. Thecombination of a tow-car having its sides reinforced for supporting aportion of a hitch substantially midway between front and rear wheelsover its roof, the car supported hitch portion having a longitudinallydisposed ear at each side of the car projecting from the sidereinforcement through the roof, the ears being connected by atransversely extending reinforcement member; and a trailer having aforeportion and a rear portion, the foreportion of the trailer havingupper, middle and lower horizontally extending sections, the middle andlower sections being adapted to telescope up and be locked within theupper section, the rear portion of the trailer having a set of wheelsrotatably secured thereto at its forward end, the rear portion beingcoextensive in height with the foreportion and the upper section beingintegral therewith; the lower section having a floor reinforced by atleast two spaced transverse members adapted to overlie the car when thesections are telescoped, the floor pendently carrying a normallyvertically disposed tube, the upper end of the tube being securedbetween the two transversely extending spaced members by alongitudinally extending pin through the transverse members and thetube, a hitch cross member having a bearing at its center to which thetube lower end is rotatably secured, the hitch cross member having apair of forwardly projecting ears at either end adapted to receivetherebetween a respective one of the upwardly projecting ears of thetow-car, the ears being adapted to be oscillatably secured together by aclevis pin through each pair of ears and the ear therebetween; wherebythe hitch with clevis pins in position has a transverse horizontal axisof pivot at the connection between the ears, a fore and aft horizontalaxis of pivot at the tube to floor connection, and a verticallyextending pivot at the tube and hitch cross member connection aboutwhich the tow-car has a 360* range of possible angularity with respectto the trailer for flexibility while traveling and for resistance tooverturning when car and trailer are turned perpendicular to oneanother.
 3. The tow-car and trailer combination defined in claim 3wherein the floor-supported tube has a sleeve secured therearound, thesleeve having a substantially rigid member extending transversely fromeither side, the outer end of each rigid member being connected to oneend of a shock absorber, the other end of each shock absorber beingconnected to a respective side of the overlying foreportion of thetrailer for damping the side sway of the trailer about thelongitudinally extending pin through the hitch tube.